In Bonnie’s Studio

Equipment

I currently operate three looms— an 8 harness 48” Fireside named “Gary” after the maker Gary Swett and a 4 harness 32” Gilmore named “Grace” after the former owner, Grace Hossack. The newest addition to my loom family is 2 harness 20” Saori named “Love” after weaving on it.

Fibers

I have worked with cotton, rayon chenille, silk, wool, alpaca, musk ox, wool, and bamboo. Currently I’ve been testing out Tencel from Webs as another option for Color Horoscope Weaving. I excited to announce “Outstanding Moral Fiber” (un-knitted cashmere sweaters). In the last five years of my mother’s life (when she could no longer knit), we took apart over 200 sweaters, now to weave it.

Scarves

I often think of scarves as “sketches” for larger weavings and concepts. I recently completed a series of 24 scarves combining the cashmere with weavers’ wool by Mountain Colors and experimenting with Raven’s Ridge, both located in Montana. See the gallery of scarves.

Blankets

If you asked me what I like to weave best, I would answer “blanket”. To create a large textile, equally functional and decorative, is the ultimate in weaving satisfaction for me. See the gallery of blankets.

Techniques

Color Horoscope Weaving

During the late 70s, I searched to create a product that I would know exactly how much it would cost to make, how much time it would take to weave, and how much I could charge my client. I also wanted each weaving to be different, so I would never get bored weaving the same thing over and over again. I wanted this product to be too individual to be mass produced. The result was Color Horoscope Weaving.

I developed a method of translating an individual’s horoscope into color using a system of superimposing a color wheel over the horoscope. There are 360 degrees in a circle, 360 degrees in a horoscope, and 360 threads in each weaving. I use 12 colors (to represent each sign, house, and planet), and these colors combine to create over 5 billion color possibilities. Color Horoscope Weaving lends itself to any fiber, is equally striking as a scarf or a bedspread, and is the ultimate personal gift. (Satisfaction guaranteed) See the gallery of techniques.

The term “ikat” refers to an ancient technique in which yarn is tie-dyed into patterns before it is put on the loom and woven. This is a very time consuming process. First the design must be planned out and a cartoon made the size of the finished piece. Next the yarn lengths are counted out and placed over the cartoon. Then the sections of the design must be tied and the yarn dyed. The dye is blocked from the tied sections creating a design. If one is planning to use more than one color, the yarn must be un-tied, replaced on the cartoon and retied. I have recently seen a video that simplified this last step, and the warps were painted instead of dip-dyed.

In Turned Weft Ikat, I bypass the planning and cartoon stage. I tie and dye the yarn in skeins, wind the skeins into balls, and use the ikat dyed balls combined with solid colors to count out the warp (placing each length carefully to create a spontaneous design).

With Almost Ikat, one can bypass the whole dyeing process completely and buy variegated yarn! Technically, painted skeins are not considered ikat. When I first started playing with ikat, all I could find was red, yellow, green, blue in regular intervals. Now it is almost impossible to find yarn that isn’t patterned in some way. I love hand-dyed yarn! See the gallery of techniques.

Woven Words

I developed a system of color and number correspondences with each letter of the alphabet. I found a book that had alphabet colors, but I changed them somewhat to suit my aesthetic. As for the numbers: A=1, B=2 and so on. This is a delightful method of producing a personalized textile.

Guarantee

I guarantee my work 100% for as long as I live.

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"Never under estimate the powers of your horoscope shawl. I am continually amazed at how this technique (Woven Words) makes me use new colors and they always seem to work together. Thank you, " —Karen Driscoll, California

Thank you for developing such a clever system and for your help and guidance on this project. It was very fun to make, and my new shawl is amazing!! —Isabel Clark

"I found Bonnie to be a great new weaving mentor in my life and not the least bit intimidating. And I feel more confident now to weave more fine pieces than I had before. " —Martha, Missoula

My husband is fighting me for it. I told him it is MY horoscope and he can't have it. —Sonnie Sperati, Delaware

"After enjoying Bonnie's inspiring presentation to our North Olympic Shuttle and Spindle guild in Sequim/Port Angeles WA on the joys of designing with Turned Weft Ikat, a group of members held a wrap, dye and warp day in July. It was an excellent, though lengthy day, and all participants left with dyed yarn and lots of enthusiasm. We hope to see a series of towels this year at our monthly show and tell and want to thank Bonnie again for an excellent concept." —Lynn Baritelle

"After your workshop, I came home and worked in a fury to complete the scarf. I had not intended to finish weaving until after the SoCal experience, BUT the scarf was "sizzling" on my loom!!!! I could not leave it alone! So the weaving is done with the fringing process started. I decided to put little faceted clear seed beads here and there--it looks like the stars. The whole experience was very cathartic. I will send a pic when I have completed it. Thank you so much for your insight and wisdom, I couldn't have asked for more." —Susan von Sosten, Sacramento

Thanks Bonnie, your workshop opened doors in weaving I had not thought of or did not know how to execute. — Sandy Buckworth, Delaware

"This has been the most challenging, rewarding and inspiring experience for me and I feel that I can now call myself a weaver! " —Kathie

"This was a lovely gift to myself and I am very grateful to Bonnie for developing this idea. I have never warped anything without knowing how it was going to turn out. Each new color was eagerly anticipated to see how it would blend in. Like Bonnie promised, it all worked out." — Shelley Hamilton, Saskatchewan

"Your Horoscope Workshop was the best workshop I have ever attended in my 10 years of weaving. In addition to providing the opportunity to warp and weave something new and different, I learned a lot from the tips you shared with us, gathered from your 50 years of weaving.

If your ears are ringing, it is because we are still talking about how much we enjoyed your workshop and that we learned so much. Thanks again for a great experience." —Bobbie, Tennessee

"The whole concept is such fun!!! I really loved working with the colors and seeing the combinations. Just that alone has given me some ideas of color choices for other projects. Thank God for digital cameras to record which ones I like best and add them to my notes.

PS. I have really enjoyed your published work over the years. Your website gallery is terrific and inspirational to me. I am, and have been, a fan of your work. Thank you for reaching out so openly to weavers like me." —Louisa Ballard, Arizona